BBC Three goes off-air on March 1, 2016

The scrapping of BBC Three has been in the works for a while, but there’s now an official shuttering date.

According to new proposals released by the BBC, we now know that the BBC Three TV channel will be closed down on March 1 next year.

The original plan was to switch BBC Three to an online-only service this October, but that was delayed back in April.

Then in June, the BBC Trust called for a “more carefully managed transition”, so the BBC has now given a definitive 2016 date.

“Moving BBC Three online will allow us to react to significant changes in technology and audience behaviour and reinvent public service broadcasting for younger audiences,” explains the BBC. “Moreover, the closure of BBC Three releases funding for investment in drama on BBC One.”

The BBC Three takedown has been split into three distinct phases.

Phase 1 runs from summer until October, and will see the BBC release “short and new forms of content” online.